


Carlton Lassiter’s Guide to Trauma Recovery, Sprinting, Finding Your Soulmate, and Losing Ten Pounds Without Leaving Santa Barbara

by Missy



Category: Psych
Genre: Community: help_nz, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-03
Updated: 2011-04-03
Packaged: 2017-10-17 12:18:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/176788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missy/pseuds/Missy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lassiter worries that Juliet is suffering from undue stress after seeing her kiss Shawn; Jules, however, is just fine – at least until she and Shawn break up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Carlton Lassiter’s Guide to Trauma Recovery, Sprinting, Finding Your Soulmate, and Losing Ten Pounds Without Leaving Santa Barbara

**Author's Note:**

> Written for gwynevere1 for the help_nz auction! Thank you so much to gypsyjr for beta!

1: Health and The Art of Revolver Maintenance

Juliet didn’t worry too much about the urgently-scribbled message Lassiter had dropped upon her desk early one Friday morning. Carlton was always in a state of mild urgency, though it was of the highly-compact, well-organized, intelligent urgency. He said he wanted to meet her for a jog, and Jules – having no better plans for her pre-shift post-coffee morning – agreed to the meeting just to see what her uptight partner had up his sleeve.

They met on Ocean Drive, by the concrete jogger’s path at the head of the bus stop. She wasn’t surprised to find him already warming up with a series of jumping jacks, his spine ramrod stiff and posture perfect. Juliet sipped her coffee, stretching.

“Ready, Carlton?”

He nodded. “I believe we agreed on two-k ‘fun run’.”

She nodded. “On your mark…”

He sprung up mid-stretch, eyes outraged. “Wait a minute! On your mark suggests competitive racing. That’s hardly a stress-breaker.”

“…go!” Juliet sprinted away, her legs long and graceful, a mischievous grin on her face. Lassiter was behind her, trying to keep pace, but didn’t catch up until they’d both doubled back toward the bus stop, where they ended up collapsing in a friendly, companionable heap.

“Do you feel less tense?” he asked her, and she could only stare at him, utterly confused and yet somehow happy to have his attention.

“I was never tense.”

He shook his head. “O’Hara, I’ve been your partner for quite awhile now, and I know when you’re having ‘domestic issues’.”

“…Domestic issues?”

A firm nod of his head. “Domestic issues. After Yang tried to kill you, I think…”

She immediately reached for his hand. “Carlton, whatever you think is wrong…isn’t. I’m going to be all right. Okay?”

There was a long, pregnant pause before the bus arrived and distracted them.

One bus ride, a shower, and a shift later, Juliet received another note: _gun range, 012 hours._

Of course she showed up. Lassiter had promised to show her his Walther. And they were having a fine time when she heard him whisper between rounds, _”shoot the groin! It will make you feel better!”_

Juliet was considering shooting someone in the groin, but it definitely wasn’t the target.

2: Intermediate Meditation

The weeks went on like that, Lassiter constantly dragging her off to some new physical activity on their lunch break. Juliet put up with it because they’d always had always had a unique partnership. Carlton’s respect had been won, not given, but he’d never made her feel like half a person just because she happened to be a woman.

That’s why she felt foolish to be caught crying in the locker room by him one afternoon.

“It’s NOTHING,” she insisted, and when he gave her a long, wise look, she continued, “you aren’t officially supposed to know.”

“What did Spencer do to you?” He frowned darkly. “If he hurt you, I’ll take his precious hair-gel and back-comb his nose hair until I can braid it into his receding hairline!”

She shook her head. “Nothing. It was a mutual decision,” she replied. “But you know how it is to lose somebody when you’ve invested …oh, Carlton, I’m sorry.”

He held out a hand. “No, Juliet – I understand. Your resolve’s been weakened by the Yang incident…”

“DAMN IT!” She glared up at him. “It isn’t about Yang or Yin! It’s about Shawn! It’s about…I…” She faltered for a second. “Did you just call me Juliet?”

He nodded and held open his arms.

She was surprised to find herself there, even more so by the tears in her eyes.

And there was even one more surprise for Lassie in the afternoon.

Juliet’s passionate kiss.

3: Beginner’s Bed And Breakfast

An hour later, as they lay sprawled in his bed, Juliet yawned and curled up against his chest. “For future reference, Carlton? This is my kind of relaxation technique.”

“Duly noted, O’Hara,” he smiled into her neck.

She played a finger over his rib cage. “I’m really not bothered by the Yang situation.”

“All right, partner. When you’re ready to talk, I’ll be here.”

She rolled her eyes. “Of course. You’re the best cop in the world.”

“I am,” he replied. “No detail escapes me, Juliet.”

She leaned her chin against his chest and gave him a long look. “How did you find out about me and Shawn?”

“Painstaking detective work.”

“You listened in on an intercom.”

“…and saw you through the two-way glass in interrogation room one.”

He harrumphed as she nestled against him. “There’s no shame in making room for improvement…if you’ll help me, O’Hara.”

“All right,” she agreed, and kissed his cheek.


End file.
